Why Can’t We See Multiple Dimensions?

Physicists have proposed that there could be dozens of dimensions in addition to the normal three we experience in daily life. But where are they?

by

Lisa Randall

April 20, 2011

Get the Big Think newsletter on Substack

Physicists have proposed that there could be dozens of dimensions in addition to the normal three we experience in daily life. But where are they?

Professor or Physics, Harvard University

A grid of eight open magazines on display above text inviting viewers to join for access to classes, print issues, community, and more. A yellow “Join Today” button is below.

A middle-aged man with short gray hair and a receding hairline is smiling, wearing a dark t-shirt against a light blue background.

Productivity for Mortals

Oliver Burkeman

Author, “Meditations for Mortals”

A person with glasses and a bald head is looking slightly to the side, centered in a green-tinted square frame.

AI and the Future of Civilization

Yuval Noah Harari

Historian and Philosopher, Hebrew University of Jerusalem, and Best-Selling Author

Abstract geometric design featuring concentric circles, quartered background, and scattered solid and outlined dots in blue, green, and white hues.

The 6 Disciplines of Strategic Thinking

Michael Watkins

Professor of Leadership and Organizational Change, IMD Business School, and Author, “The Six Disciplines of Strategic Thinking”

A woman with long hair and glasses wearing a blazer, posed with her hand under her chin, looks at the camera. The photo is overlaid with a semi-transparent colored square.

Radical Respect at Work

Co-Founder, Radical Candor, and Author, Radical Respect: How to Work Together Better

A middle-aged bald man with light skin and blue eyes, wearing a dark crewneck shirt, looks directly at the camera against a plain background.

No-Nonsense Leadership

Founding Partner, Andreessen Horowitz and Author, The Hard Thing About Hard Things

An older man with short gray hair and glasses, wearing a blue striped shirt and a red sweater, is framed by an orange translucent square overlay.

A Primatologist’s Guide to Human Behavior

C.H. Candler Professor Emeritus at EMORY University, Atlanta, GA

A wall clock is combined with the silhouette of a snail against a textured blue and light blue background.

Slow Productivity

Computer Scientist and Author, Slow Productivity

Related Content

Data center cooling is becoming an energy crisis. Aerospace engineering can help us solve it.

The AI energy debate focuses on supply — but smarter planning could deliver more computing from the same megawatts.

by Mark Fenton

Aerial view of two large rectangular data center buildings with surrounding infrastructure and parking, situated in a rural area.

Resilience is overrated: Unlock the real secret to business longevity

Andrew Markell — philosopher, martial artist, and CEO advisor — argues that true endurance comes from desire, ritual, and learning to evolve through chaos.

by Eric Markowitz & Ethan Siegel

A collage featuring Andrew Markell thinking at a desk, a close-up of a handshake, and a person standing alone, overlaid with swirling red and green arrows.

Starts With A Bang

Why aliens might not “speak physics” the same way we do

Physicist Daniel Whiteson challenges the notion that all intelligent species would eventually uncover the same laws of nature. Do you agree?

by Ethan Siegel

ufo lights liverpool

The Learning Curve

Every era believes it is enlightened. Old books teach us otherwise.

Reading classic books can teach you as much about the present as the past.

by Kevin Dickinson

A woman in a white dress sits on a chair by a window, reading a book in a softly lit room with a piano nearby, embodying the quiet charm of why read old books.

Learn from the world's biggest thinkers.

© Copyright 2007-2026 & BIG THINK, BIG THINK PLUS, SMARTER FASTER trademarks owned by Freethink Media, Inc. All rights reserved.